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US President Donald Trump on Saturday raised the possibility of the war against Iran ending only once that country no longer has a functioning military or any remaining leadership in power.
The Telegraph online reports that while speaking to reporters on Air Force One, Trump said he is not interested in negotiating with Iran at this point and later added the air campaign could make it a moot point if all potential leaders of Iran are killed and the Iranian military is destroyed.
“At some point, I don’t think there will be anybody left maybe to say ‘We surrender,'” Trump said. Trump’s remarks came on a day of Israel and Iran trading numerous attacks as the Middle East war entered a second week.Iran’s President apologized to neighbouring states to cool anger across the Gulf but stirred criticism from hardliners at home.
“I personally apologize to neighbouring countries that were affected by Iran’s actions,” Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said, urging them not to join the US-Israeli attacks on Iran. He dismissed Trump’s demand for the Islamic Republic’s unconditional surrender as “a dream”, but said its temporary leadership council had agreed to suspend attacks on nearby states unless strikes on Iran originated from their territory. Trump nonetheless cast Iran’s apology as a surrender, while saying the country would be “hit very hard” on Saturday and warning the US could widen its attacks.
